@DG how so? Most likely it will be superseded by the next Xbox so unless MS are going to allow some sort of upgrade path (not likely) or make the X the base for next gen (possible given the idea of a "family" of devices) getting an X to future proof does not seem like a good idea.

Feature

A Nexus Guide: Kingdom Hearts Explained (Part 1)

The release of Kingdom Hearts III is a little over 2 weeks away, and with it comes even more lore and story to catch up on. With this in mind, I figured it's time I attempt to give all new keyblade wielders a crash course in the heavily convoluted plot and lore of the Kingdom Hearts series. I say try, simply because people who have been playing the games for years are still struggling to piece everything together. Mixing concurrent events, time travel, and human puppetry have always been a recipe for a complicated story. This feature will cover part one, with 3 more features following. So, without any delay, let us start the course with a Nexus Guide: Kingdom Hearts explained!

Keyblade War
Explained in: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep

Long before Sora, Donald and Goofy graced our gaming consoles, everything was somewhat peachy in the Kingdom Hearts series. In this period of peace, the inhabitants of the world had access to a mythical source of wisdom and life - this source was called Kingdom Hearts. This valuable source was also protected by a key-sword. Everyone had access to the source, but as nature would have it, some individuals wanted the power the source provided for themselves. With the desire for power reaching its climax, people created weapons in the key-sword's image and called them Keyblades. A terrible war broke out, now known as the Keyblade War, and many lives were lost. The war shattered the key-sword and caused Kingdom Hearts to disappear into the darkness.

Many years after the Keyblade War, we find the Kingdom Hearts universe as we know it today. A place filled with many worlds, including Disney, Square Enix, and original Kingdom Hearts worlds. In this time, some scholars were still trying to find and harness the power of the source. The most devoted one of all was Keybalde Master Xehanort. Xehanort's original intent was to balance the light and darkness, but lost sight of this and decided to remake the key-sword that protected the source. Through extensive research, he found that the sword could be reforged by clashing a heart of pure light with a heart of pure darkness. Master Xehanort, in his quest for power, divided his apprentice into two halves, creating two different hearts.

A Trio of Young Keyblade Masters are Deceived
Explained in: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep

The apprentice who got ripped in half was divided into Ventus (a heart of pure light) and Vanitas (a heart of pure darkness). Xehanort separated these two so they would not influence each other's "pure-heartedness". Ventus was sent to train with another Keyblade Master named Eraqus. Here, Ventus met two other aspiring Keyblade masters, named Aqua and Terra; they became fast friends. On the other side, Vanitas' sorrow and pain were so immense that it spawned creatures called the Unversed. The Trio trained and in anticipation of their Mark of Mastery test, little did they know the entire test was fixed by Xehanort. Terra fails the test, due to Xehanort's meddling. After everything blows up, Xehanort disappears, but not before asking Terra to seek him out for guidance. Aqua and Ventus are left to deal with the Unversed and pursue Terra.

Xehanort manipulates Terra into performing varies nasty deeds across the many worlds as he looks for him. By doing this, Terra becomes more susceptible to Xehanort's influence. While going after Terra, Ventus becomes as strong as Vanitas. Using his form apprentices' torn halves, Xehanort successfully forges the blade, using it to take over Terras's weakened heart, thus becoming Terra-Xehanort. Before Xehanort could cause any more harm, Aqua and Mickey show up and thwart his plans. Before the fight, Aqua and Mickey takes Ventus' body (now unconscious due to the lack of a heart) to a place they deemed safe. The battle ended, but with serious repercussions. Vanitas and the Unversed destroyed, Ventus' heart and Terra-Xehanort vanished into an unknown place, with Aqua trapped in a realm between light and darkness.

Phew, that's quite a load of information to take in, and it's only one game so far. Calling it a wrap, for now, so you can digest everything. If you haven't yet, I seriously recommend you play Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. It's a great game and tells a pretty straightforward story (the few games that do so in this series). Keep an eye on the Nexus Digital for the rest of the story. And, for everything else Kingdom Hearts III related, you're already here.

I appreciate that you said key-sword instead of x-blade which is freaking pronounced the same as keyblade lol Bloody Nomura. I love this breakdown of Birth By Sleep, very concise and easy to understand <3